Ottawa-Gatineau plans bike-lending program

The National Capital Commission wants a permanent bike-lending program for the Ottawa-Gatineau region, issuing tenders for both a summer program and a long-term contract.

The NCC indicated Thursday that itis looking to award two contracts one for a preliminary service starting this summer that would involve 10 rental stations to run from July to November.

The bigger contract would be for regular service starting in April 2011 for an eight-year period, with the possibility of extending it another five years.

Last summer, Ottawa-Gatineauhad athree-month trial with the Bixi automated bike rental system that has been a success in Montreal and Paris.

In total, more than 3,000 people used the 50 bikes at four test stations to take5,361 trips.